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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · rest · rule · tube · craft · jam

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. rest — what's left
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rest — a break
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — a container
  8. craft — boats
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rest — what's left
  11. craft — a skill
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. ruler — a monarch

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com